Touch-based authentication of a mobile device through user generated pattern creation

ABSTRACT

A method, system, and apparatus of a touch-based authentication of a mobile device through user generated pattern creation are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a mobile device includes recognizing a tactile force on a touch screen without a visual aid as an unlocking gesture, storing the unlocking gesture to a memory of the mobile device, associating another tactile force on the touch screen with the unlocking gesture, and transforming the mobile device from an initial state to an unlocked state based on the association between the another tactile force and the unlocking gesture. The method may include transforming the mobile device to operate as a telephonic communication device in the unlocked state.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

This disclosure relates generally to an enterprise method, a technicalfield of software and/or hardware technology and, in one exampleembodiment, to touch-based authentication of a mobile device throughuser generated pattern creation.

BACKGROUND

Security of a mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone, a mobile player, anApple® iPhone®, etc.) may be of concern to a user. Furthermore, the usermay utilize the mobile device in manner similar to a personal computer(e.g., browse the Internet, access email, etc.). Consequently, themobile device may include confidential information (e.g., a web browserhistory, an email account, a past call history, a text message, a voicemessage, etc.). Due to the nature of this type of information, asecurity breach may be costly to the user or his/her organization (e.g.,a difficulty in recreating lost information).

A design of the mobile device may make it problematic to implement anadditional security protocol. For example, the mobile device may utilizea touchscreen (e.g., a display which can detect a location of forces ina display area) for user input rather than a physical keypad. The usermay be able to access the mobile device utilizing the touchscreen simplyby tapping a surface of the touchscreen in an arbitrary manner and/orperforming a templated gesture (e.g., a pattern such as movement fromleft to right) on a surface of the touch screen. As a result,confidential information may be accessed by anyone merely in physicalpossession of the mobile device.

The touchscreen mobile device may include a virtual keypad (e.g., a formof a template to guide the user, an alpha-numeric virtual key pad,etc.). The user may use the virtual keypad to enter a pass code toaccess information. This process may be slow and/or cumbersome (e.g., afingertip of the user may be of comparatively same size as an area of avirtual keypad symbol, the virtual keypad may not have the same tactilefeel as the physical keypad, etc.). Use of a virtual keypad may also beinconvenient and/or dangerous when an attention of the user is diverted(e.g., walking, working, eating, etc.). A handicapped user (e.g., asight-impaired person, a person with out fingers or hands, a person withimpaired dexterity, etc.) may have difficulty inputting information withthe virtual keypad. Furthermore, the alpha-numeric pass code may bedifficult to remember for a primary user and/or secondary users of themobile device. Thus, security of the mobile device may be breachedresulting in theft and/or misappropriation of the confidentialinformation that may be stored in the mobile device.

SUMMARY

A method, system, and/or apparatus of a touch-based authentication of amobile device through user generated pattern creation are disclosed. Inone aspect, a method of a mobile device includes recognizing a tactileforce on a touch screen without a visual aid as an unlocking gesture,storing the unlocking gesture to a memory (e.g., may be a local memoryof the mobile device that may be internal to the mobile device) of themobile device, associating another tactile force on the touch screenwith the unlocking gesture, and transforming the mobile device from aninitial state to an unlocked state based on the association between theanother tactile force and the unlocking gesture.

The method may include transforming the mobile device to operate as atelephonic communication device in the unlocked state. The method mayalso include accessing a contact list and/or a greeting message based ona user profile of the telephonic communication device associated withthe unlocking gesture to transform the mobile device to operate as thetelephonic communication device. In addition, the method may includeaccessing a media playlist based on the user profile of the telephoniccommunication device associated with the unlocking gesture to transformthe mobile device to operate as a media player.

The method may include accessing a set of bookmarks based on the userprofile of the telephonic communication device associated with theunlocking gesture to enable customized settings on a browser applicationof the mobile device. The method may also include determining that thetactile force may be placed at multiple distinct locations on the touchscreen while recognizing the tactile force as the unlocking gesture. Themultiple distinct locations may be simultaneously and/or seriallyplaced.

The method may include designating a region of the touch screen asavailable to receive the another tactile force, such that the anothertactile force may be algorithmically determinable to be the unlockinggesture when recognized in the designated region. The method may alsoinclude determining a duration of the another tactile force at aparticular location of the touch screen to determine whether it may bethe unlocking gesture. In addition, the method may include determiningthat a total time to create the another tactile force may be within apermitted amount of time when determining whether it is the unlockinggesture.

The method may include operating the mobile device in the initial statesuch that certain functions may be disabled in the initial state toconserve battery consumption of the mobile device through a powermanagement circuitry of the mobile device. The method may also includedetermining that a next tactile force is unrelated with the unlockinggesture. In addition, the method may transform the mobile device fromthe initial state to a locked state based on the determination that thenext tactile force that may be unrelated with the unlocking gesture.

The method may include permitting the mobile device to communicate withan emergency service provider even when in the locked state. The methodmay also include determining that the unlocking gesture may be similarto a stored gesture beyond a tolerance value. The method may request adifferent gesture to be stored when the determination may be made thatthe unlocking gesture may be similar beyond the tolerance value. Inaddition, the method may include determining that the another tactileforce may be unique but within an acceptance range of associability withthe unlocking gesture when associating the another tactile force withthe unlocking gesture.

In another aspect, a method of a mobile device includes determiningwhether a tactile force on a touch screen without any visual aid on thetouch screen is associated with a security gesture (e.g., may be auser-generated gesture that may be stored in a memory that is internalto the mobile device), permitting access to a set of applications of themobile device when an association is made between the tactile force andthe security gesture, and denying access to the set of applications ofthe mobile device when the association fails to be made between thetactile force and the security gesture.

The method may also include directly opening a particular application ofthe mobile device when the association may be made between the tactileforce and the security gesture.

In yet another aspect, a mobile device includes a touchscreen torecognize a tactile force using a processor of the mobile device, asecurity module interfaced with the processor to associate the tactileforce with a security gesture, and to determine access to a set offeatures on the mobile device based on the association, and a usermodule of the security module to create security gestures based on auser input.

The methods, systems, and apparatuses disclosed herein may beimplemented in any means for achieving various aspects, and may beexecuted in a form of a machine-readable medium embodying a set ofinstructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine toperform any of the operations disclosed herein. Other features will beapparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detaileddescription that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Example embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitationin the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like referencesindicate similar elements and in which:

FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D is a system view of a mobile device recognizingan application of force in a designated region through a tactile forceon a touch screen, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic system view of a data processing system inwhich any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be performed,according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a security module, according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a table view illustrating various fields such as user, aninitial state, security gesture, rules, etc., according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a process of a cell phone touch screenunlocking using a tactile force/gesture, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a process of a cell phone touch screenunlocking, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a table view illustrating example rules/reference gestures,accepted, and rejected gestures, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 8A is a process of recognizing a tactile force on a touch screenwithout a visual aid as an unlocking gesture, according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 8B is a continuation of process flow of FIG. 7A, illustratingadditional operations, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 8C is a continuation of process flow of FIG. 7B, illustratingadditional operations, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a process flow of an opening a particular application of themobile device when the association is made between the tactile force andthe security gesture, according to one embodiment.

Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from theaccompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A method, system, and apparatus of a touch-based authentication of amobile device through user generated pattern creation are disclosed.Although the present embodiments have been described with reference tospecific example embodiments, it will be evident that variousmodifications and changes may be made to these embodiments withoutdeparting from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments.

In one embodiment, a method of a mobile device (e.g., the mobile device100 of FIG. 1) includes recognizing a tactile force (e.g., the tactileforce 106 of FIG. 1) on a touch screen (e.g., the touchscreen 108 ofFIG. 1) without a visual aid as an unlocking gesture, storing theunlocking gesture to a memory (e.g., may be a local memory of the mobiledevice that may be internal to the mobile device) of the mobile device100, associating another tactile force on the touchscreen 108 with theunlocking gesture, and transforming the mobile device 100 from aninitial state to an unlocked state based on the association between theanother tactile force and the unlocking gesture.

In another embodiment, a method of a mobile device (e.g., the mobiledevice 100 of FIG. 1) includes determining whether a tactile force(e.g., the tactile force 106 of FIG. 1) on a touch screen (e.g., thetouchscreen 108 of FIG. 1) without any visual aid on the touchscreen 108is associated with a security gesture (e.g., may be a user-generatedgesture that may be stored in a memory that is internal to the mobiledevice), permitting access to a set of applications of the mobile device100 when an association is made between the tactile force 106 and thesecurity gesture, and denying access to the set of applications of themobile device 100 when the association fails to be made between thetactile force 106 and the security gesture.

In yet another embodiment, a mobile device (e.g., the mobile device 100of FIG. 1) includes a touchscreen (e.g., the touchscreen 108 of FIG. 1)to recognize a tactile forced (e.g., the tactile force 106 of FIG. 1)using a processor (e.g., the processor 202 of FIG. 2) of the mobiledevice 100, a security module (e.g., the security module 110 of FIG. 2)interfaced with the processor 202 to associate the tactile force 106with a security gesture, and to determine access to a set of features onthe mobile device 100 based on the association, and a user module (e.g.,the user module 320 of FIG. 3) of the security module 110 to createsecurity gestures based on a user input.

FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D is a system view of a mobile device recognizingan application of force in a designated region through a tactile forceon a touchscreen, according to one embodiment. Particularly, FIG. 1illustrates a mobile device 100, a force applicator 102, a designatedregion 104, a tactile force 106, a touchscreen 108, and a securitymodule 110, according to one embodiment.

The mobile device 100 may be a device used for communication and/or forprocessing information (e.g., browsing, forums, mail, chat, etc.)through the network (e.g., internet network). The force applicator 102(e.g., finger, stylus, etc.) may apply contact forces to the fingertipto enable the force used with or without the secondary fingertip forceapplicator (e.g., may be stylus, etc.). The designated region 104 may bethe region on the touch screen which may receive tactile force. Thetactile force 106 may be a force applied physically by the user (e.g.,by touching, by using a stylus, etc.). The touchscreen 108 may be aninput/output interface which may detect a location of touch within thedisplay area. The security module 110 may provide security to the mobiledevice 100 based on the tactile force 106 (e.g., the security gesture).

In example embodiment, the mobile device 100 may recognize the forceapplicator 102 (e.g., may be in the form of touch, etc.) in thedesignated region 104 of the touchscreen 108. The force may be anunlocking gesture/tactile force 106 that may be used for unlocking themobile device 100.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic system view 200 of a data processing system inwhich any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be performed,according to one embodiment. Particularly, the diagrammatic system view200 of FIG. 2 illustrates a security module 110, a processor 202, a mainmemory 204, a static memory 206, a bus 208, a video display 210, analpha-numeric input device 212, a cursor control device 214, a driveunit 216, a signal generation device 218, a network interface device220, a machine readable medium 222, instructions 224, and a network 226,according to one embodiment.

The diagrammatic system view 200 may indicate a personal computer and/orthe data processing system in which one or more operations disclosedherein are performed. The security module 110 may provide security tothe device from unauthorized access (e.g., may be mishandled, misused,stolen, etc.). The processor 202 may be a microprocessor, a statemachine, an application specific integrated circuit, a fieldprogrammable gate array, etc. (e.g., Intel® Pentium® processor, 620 MHzARM 1176, etc.). The main memory 204 may be a dynamic random accessmemory and/or a primary memory of a computer system.

The static memory 206 may be a hard drive, a flash drive, and/or othermemory information associated with the data processing system. The bus208 may be an interconnection between various circuits and/or structuresof the data processing system. The video display 210 may providegraphical representation of information on the data processing system.The alpha-numeric input device 212 may be a keypad, a keyboard, avirtual keypad of a touchscreen and/or any other input device of text(e.g., a special device to aid the physically handicapped).

The cursor control device 214 may be a pointing device such as a mouse.The drive unit 216 may be the hard drive, a storage system, and/or otherlonger term storage subsystem. The signal generation device 218 may be abios and/or a functional operating system of the data processing system.The network interface device 220 may be a device that performs interfacefunctions such as code conversion, protocol conversion and/or bufferingrequired for communication to and from the network 226. The machinereadable medium 222 may provide instructions on which any of the methodsdisclosed herein may be performed. The instructions 224 may providesource code and/or data code to the processor 202 to enable any one ormore operations disclosed herein.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a security module 110, according to oneembodiment. Particularly, FIG. 3 illustrates a recognition module 300, atactile force module 302, an association module 304, a store module 306,a transform module 308, an initial state module 310, an unlock module312, a deny module 314, a determination module 316, a permit module 318,a user module 320, and a region module 322, according to one embodiment.

The recognition module 300 may enable the mobile device 100 to recognizethe application of force (e.g., tactile force 106) as the unlockinggesture. The tactile force module 302 may detect tactile force as anunlocking gesture on the touchscreen 108. The association module 304 mayassociate another tactile force (e.g., may be different kind of force,etc.) on the touchscreen along with the unlocking gesture (e.g.,unlocking command, mechanism, etc.). The store module 306 may enablestoring the unlocking gesture to the memory of the mobile device 100.The transform module 308 may transform the mobile device 100 to functionas the telephonic communication device when unlocked through recognitionand validating unlocking gesture. The initial state module 310 mayconserve the battery consumption of the mobile device 100 through apower management circuitry of the mobile device 100 (e.g., by puttingthe mobile device into slow power state, etc.). The unlock module 312may unlock the mobile device 100 after recognizing and validating theunlocking gesture.

The deny module 314 may deny access to the set of applications of themobile device 100 when the association module 304 fails to associatebetween the tactile force 106 and the security gesture. Thedetermination module 316 may determine the accuracy of the associationand may determine the total time to create the another tactile forcewithin the permitted amount of time. The permit module 318 may permitthe mobile device 100 to communicate with the emergency service providerin the locked state. The user module 320 may create security gesturesbased on the user input. The region module 322 may recognize the regionof the touchscreen 108 on which the application of the force (e.g., maybe the tactile force) has taken place.

In example embodiment, the recognition module 300 may communicate withthe association module 304 to recognize the tactile force 106 (e.g.,using the tactile force module 302) matching with the security gesture.The association module 304 may communicate with the store module 306,the transform module 308, the deny module 314, the determination module316, the permit module 318, the user module 320, and the region module322. The unlock module 312 may communicate with the transform module 308for changing the state (e.g., locked to unlocked, unlocked to locked,etc.) of the mobile device 100.

In one embodiment, the touchscreen 108 may recognize the tactile force106 (e.g., using the recognition module 300 of FIG. 3) using theprocessor 202 of the mobile device 100. The security module 110interfaced with the processor 202 to associate the tactile force 106with a security gesture, and may determine access to a set of featureson the mobile device 100 based on the association. The user module 320of the security module 110 may create security gestures based on a userinput (e.g., using the user module 320 of FIG. 3). The mobile device 100may be transformed to operate as a telephonic communication device inthe unlocked state.

The contact list and/or a greeting message based on the user profile ofthe telephonic communication device (e.g., using the user module 320 ofFIG. 3) associated with the unlocking gesture may be accessed totransform the mobile device 100 (e.g., using the transform module 308 ofFIG. 3) to operate as the telephonic communication device. The mediaplaylist based on the user profile (e.g., using the user module 320 ofFIG. 3) of the telephonic communication device associated with theunlocking gesture (e.g., using the unlock module 312 of FIG. 3) may begenerated to transform the mobile device 100 to operate as a mediaplayer. The region of the touchscreen 108 as available (e.g., using theregion module 322 of FIG. 3) may be designated to receive the anothertactile force, such that the another tactile force may bealgorithmically determinable to be the unlocking gesture when recognizedin the designated region (e.g., using the recognition module 300 of FIG.3).

The duration of the another tactile force may be determined (e.g., usingthe determination module 316 of FIG. 3) at a particular location of thetouchscreen 108 to determine whether it may be the unlocking gesture.The total time may be determined (e.g., using the determination module316 of FIG. 3) to create the another tactile force may be within apermitted amount of time when determining whether it may be theunlocking gesture. The mobile device 100 in the initial state may beoperated such that certain functions may be disabled in the initialstate (e.g., using the initial state module 310 of FIG. 3) to conservebattery consumption of the mobile device 100 through a power managementcircuitry of the mobile device 100.

The memory may be a local memory of the mobile device 100 that may beinternal to the mobile device 100. It may be determined that the nexttactile force may be unrelated with the unlocking gesture. The mobiledevice 100 may be transformed (e.g., using the transform module 308 ofFIG. 3) from the initial state to a locked state based on thedetermination that the next tactile force may be unrelated with theunlocking gesture (e.g., using the unlock module 312 of FIG. 3). Themobile device 100 may be permitted (e.g., using the permit module 318 ofFIG. 3) to communicate with an emergency service provider even when inthe locked state.

It may be determined (e.g., using the determination module 316 of FIG.3) that the unlocking gesture may be similar to a stored gesture beyonda tolerance value. The different gesture may be requested to be stored(e.g., using the store module 306 of FIG. 3) when the determination maybe made that the unlocking gesture may be similar beyond the tolerancevalue. It may be determined (e.g., using the determination module 316 ofFIG. 3) that the another tactile force may be unique but within anacceptance range of associability with the unlocking gesture whenassociating the another tactile force with the unlocking gesture. Thesecurity gesture may be the user-generated gesture that may be stored(e.g., using the store module 306 of FIG. 3) in a memory that may beinternal to the mobile device 100.

FIG. 4 is a table view illustrating various fields such as user,security gesture, user profile permissions, rules, etc., according toone embodiment. Particularly, FIG. 4 illustrates a user field 400, asecurity gesture field 402, an user profile permissions field 404, arules filed 406, an user profile personalized settings field 408, allaccess 410, telephonic communication device 412, browser application414, media playlist 416, five seconds total time 418, customized browsersettings 420, bookmarks 422, simultaneous and serial 424, multipledistinct 426, hold at bottom of gesture one second duration 428,tolerance field 430, unlocked state field 432, media player 434, initialstate 436, emergency calls only state 438, and battery conservation mode440, according with one embodiment.

The user field 400 may illustrate the user (e.g., John, Jane, Jose, etc.as illustrated in FIG. 4) who may have security gestures to unlock themobile device 100. The security gesture field 402 may illustrate variousunlocking gesture associated to the particular users. The user profilepermissions field 404 may display various types of the access in themobile device 100 to the user. The rules field 406 may be a rules set bythe user for unlocking procedure. The user profile personalized settingsfield 408 may illustrate various personalized settings associated withthe user in the mobile device 100. The all access 410 may be apermission to access all the applications (e.g., telephone book,message, email, etc.) in the mobile device 100.

The telephonic communication device 412 may be a permission of the userto use the mobile device 100 to use as a telephonic device. The browserapplication 414 may be a permission to access created by the user to usethe mobile device 100 for browsing. The media playlist 416 may be apersonalized setting of the user for playlist. The five seconds totaltime 418 may be a rule created by the user for locking the mobile device100 when idle. The customized browser settings 420 may be personalizedsetting for the browser in the mobile device 100. The bookmarks 422 maybe a setting of the user in the mobile device 100 to manage bookmarks.

The simultaneous and serial 424 may be a rule that may be created by theuser for input of tactile gestures simultaneously and/or serially inorder to unlock the mobile device 100. The multiple distinct 426 may bemay be a rule that may enable the user to see distinct multiplecommunication data (e.g., missed calls, messages, received calls, etc.)simultaneously. The hold at bottom of gesture one second duration 428may be a rule created by the user for unlocking the mobile device 100.The tolerance field 430 may illustrate capability of the mobile device100 to recognize slight variations in the security gesture.

The unlocked state field 432 may be a state in the mobile device 100that may enable the user to use applications that may be customized bythe user itself. The media player 434 may be an application that mayenable the user to play the media data (e.g., video, audio, etc.) in themobile device 100. The initial state 436 may be the state that themobile device would be before unlocking (e.g., power saving mode, etc.).The emergency calls only state 438 may be a state in which the mobiledevice 100 can only make emergency calls. The battery conservation mode440 may be the state in which the mobile device 100 may not be used bythe user and power consumption in the mobile device 100 may be reducedby internal logic (e.g., by shutting down light, display, etc.).

In example embodiment, FIG. 4 illustrates users and their settings(e.g., may be personalized settings, rules, etc.) in the in the mobiledevices 100. The user field 400 may illustrate John, John, Jane, Jose,Raj, and Ray. The security gesture field 402 may illustrate variousgestures (e.g., 106, 104 as illustrated in FIG. 4) associated with theparticular users. The user profile permissions field 404 may illustratepermissions assigned like, all access 410 associated to the user John,John, telephonic communication device 412 associated to the user Jane,browser application 414 associated to the user Jose, emergency callsassociated with the user Ray.

The rules field 406 may illustrate five seconds total time 418associated to the user John, designated region on touchscreen 108 ruleassociated to the user John, simultaneous and serial 424 rulesassociated to the user Jane and Jose, multiple distinct 426 rulesassociated to the user Jose, the hold at bottom of gesture one secondduration 428 rules associated to the user Raj, correct unlocking gestureassociated with the user Ray. The user profile personalized settingsfield 408 may illustrate the contact list 414, and greeting message 416associated to the user John, contact list 414 and greeting messageassociated to the user Jane, media playlist 416, bookmarks, customizedbrowser settings 420 associated to the user Jose, no setting associatedto the user Raj, bookmarks associated to the user John, no settingassociated to the user Ray.

The tolerance field 430 may illustrate possible variations and toleranceassociated with security gesture field 402. The unlocked state field 432may illustrate running applications like, telephonic communicationdevice 412 associated to the user John and Jane, media player 434application associated to the user Jose and Raj, browser application 414associated to the user John. Emergency calls only 438 applicationassociated to the user Ray. The initial state 436 may illustrate thebattery conservation mode 440 associated with the user John, Jane, andRaj, certain functions disabled associated with the users Jose, John andRay, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a process of a cell phone touch screenunlocking using a tactile force/gesture, according to one embodiment. Inoperation 502, the touchscreen 108 with no visual aid may be provided.In operation 504, the tactile force 106 may be recognized. In operation506, another or next tactile force may be associated (e.g., using theassociation module 304 of FIG. 3) with unlocking gesture. In operation508, a condition may be determined (e.g., using the determination module316 of FIG. 3) that another or next tactile force may be unique butwithin an acceptance range of associability with the unlocking gesturewhen associating the another or next tactile force with the unlockinggesture. If operation 508 outcome is true then operation 512 may beperformed, else operation 510 may be performed.

In operation 510, the next tactile force may be allowed. In operation512, the mobile device 100 from initial state to an unlocked state basedon the association between the another tactile force and the unlockinggesture may be transformed (e.g., using the transform module 308 of FIG.3). In operation 514, the tactile force may be recognized as anunlocking gesture. In operation 516, a condition may be determined(e.g., using the determination module 316 of FIG. 3) that the unlockinggesture may be similar to the stored gesture beyond tolerable valueand/or requesting different gesture to be stored when determination maybe made that the unlocking gesture may be similarly beyond the tolerancevalue.

If operation 516 outcome is true then operation 514 may be performed,else operation 518 may be performed. In operation 518, the unlockinggesture may be stored (e.g., using the store module 306 of FIG. 3) tothe memory of the mobile device 100. In operation 520, the mobile device100 may be transformed (e.g., using the transform module 308 of FIG. 3)from the initial state to locked state based on determination that thenext tactile force may be unrelated with the unlocking gesture. Inoperation 522, the emergency calls may be allowed in the locked state.

In one embodiment, the tactile force 106 may be recognized on the touchscreen (e.g., the touchscreen 108 of FIG. 1) without a visual aid as anunlocking gesture. The unlocking gesture may be stored (e.g., using thestore module 306 of FIG. 3) to a memory of the mobile device 100.Another tactile force on the touchscreen 108 (e.g., using theassociation module 304 of FIG. 3) may be associated with the unlockinggesture. The mobile device 100 may be transformed (e.g., using thetransform module 308 of FIG. 3) from an initial state to an unlockedstate based on the association between the another tactile force and theunlocking gesture.

The set of bookmarks may be generated based on the user profile of thetelephonic communication device associated with the unlocking gesture(e.g., using the unlock module 312 of FIG. 3) to enable customizedsettings on a browser application of the mobile device 100. The tactileforce 106 may be placed at multiple distinct locations on thetouchscreen 108 and may be determined (e.g., using the determinationmodule 316 of FIG. 3) while recognizing the tactile force 106 as theunlocking gesture.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a process of a cell phone touch screenunlocking, according to one embodiment. In operation 502, thetouchscreen 108 may be provided with no visual aid. In operation 504,the tactile gesture may be recognized. In operation 602, a condition maybe determined whether the tactile force 106 on the touchscreen 108without a visual aid on the touchscreen 108 may be associated with asecurity gesture. If the outcome of operation 602 is true then operation604 may be performed, else operation 606 may be performed. In operation604, access to a set of applications of the mobile device 100 may bepermitted when an association may be made between the tactile force 106and the security gesture. In operation 606, access to the set ofapplications of the mobile device 100 may be defined when theassociation fails to be made between the tactile force 106 and thesecurity gesture.

In one embodiment, the tactile force 106 may be determined (e.g., usingthe determination module 316 of FIG. 3) on the touchscreen 108 withoutany visual aid on the touchscreen 108 may be associated with a securitygesture. The access may be permitted (e.g., using the permit module 318of FIG. 3) to a set of applications of the mobile device 100 when anassociation may be made between the tactile force 106 and the securitygesture. The access may be denied (e.g., using the deny module 314 ofFIG. 3) to the set of applications of the mobile device 100 when theassociation fails to be made between the tactile force 106 and thesecurity gesture.

FIG. 7 is a table view illustrating example rules/reference gestures,accepted gestures, and rejected gestures, according to one embodiment.Particularly, FIG. 7 illustrates a rule/reference gesture 702, acceptedgestures 704, and rejected gestures 706, according to one embodiment.

The rule/reference gesture 702 may be various rules/references that mayenable the user to unlock the mobile device 100 through use of tactileforce/security gestures. The accepted gestures 704 may be the gesturesthat may be accepted after determining the match between another tactileforce and unlocking gesture may be under matching conditions (e.g., maybe approximately). The rejected gestures 706 may be the gestures thatmay be rejected after determining the match between another tactileforce and the unlocking gesture may not be within the matchingconditions.

In example embodiment of FIG. 7 the rule/reference gesture 702 columnmay illustrate that the “unlocking gesture must be located completelywithin the designated region” in first row, “another tactile force mustmatch shape of unlocking gesture, but not size or position withindesignated area 104” in second row, “another tactile force must matchshape but not size of unlocking gesture, but not size or position withindesignated area 104” in third row, “another tactile must satisfy athreshold parameter (e.g., may be curves, bends, etc. as illustrated inFIG. 7) in fourth row, “another tactile force must be completed withinone second” in fifth row, and “another tactile force must be in theproper sequence” in the sixth row. The accepted gestures 704 column mayillustrate possible gestures (e.g., may be approximately similar, orsimilar itself) that may be accepted which are associated to therule/reference gesture 702. The rejected gestures 706 may be thegestures (e.g., may vary drastically compared to rule/reference gesture)that may be rejected with reference to the rule/reference gesture 702.

FIG. 8A is a process of recognizing a tactile force (e.g., the tactileforce 106 of FIG. 1) on the touchscreen 108 without a visual aid as anunlocking gesture, according to one embodiment. In operation 802, thetactile force 106 may be recognized (e.g., using the recognition module300 of FIG. 3) on a touch screen (e.g., the touchscreen 108 of FIG. 1)without a visual aid as an unlocking gesture. In operation 804, theunlocking gesture may be stored (e.g., using the store module 306 ofFIG. 3) to a memory (e.g., memory card, etc.) of the mobile device 100.

In operation 806, another tactile force on the touchscreen 108 may beassociated (e.g., using the association module 304 of FIG. 3) with theunlocking gesture. In operation 808, the mobile device 100 may betransformed (e.g., using the transform module 308 of FIG. 3) from aninitial state to an unlocked state based on the association between theanother tactile force and the unlocking gesture. In operation 810, themobile device 100 may be transformed (e.g., using the transform module308 of FIG. 3) to operate as a telephonic communication device in theunlocked state (e.g., using the unlock module 312 of FIG. 3). Inoperation 812, a contact list and a greeting message based on a userprofile of the telephonic communication device associated (e.g., usingthe association module 304 of FIG. 3) with the unlocking gesture may begenerated (e.g., may be because of user settings, etc.) to transform themobile device 100 (e.g., using the transform module 308 of FIG. 3) tooperate as the telephonic communication device.

In operation 814, a media playlist based on the user profile of thetelephonic communication device (e.g., using the user module 320 of FIG.3) associated with the unlocking gesture may be generated (e.g., may beusing the user settings, etc.) to transform the mobile device 100 tooperate as a media player.

FIG. 8B is a continuation of process flow of FIG. 8A, illustratingadditional operations, according to one embodiment. In operation 816, aset of bookmarks based on the user profile of the telephoniccommunication device associated (e.g., using the association module 304of FIG. 3) with the unlocking gesture may be generated (e.g., using theunlock module 312 of FIG. 3) to enable customized settings on a browserapplication of the mobile device 100. In operation 818, the tactileforce 106 may be placed at multiple distinct locations on thetouchscreen 108 and may be determined (e.g., using the transform module308 of FIG. 3) while recognizing the tactile force 106 (e.g., using therecognition module 300 of FIG. 3) as the unlocking gesture.

In operation 820, a region of the touchscreen 108 as available (e.g.,using the region module 322 of FIG. 3) may be designated to receive theanother tactile force, such that the another tactile force may bealgorithmically determinable to be the unlocking gesture when recognized(e.g., using the recognition module 300 of FIG. 3) in the designatedregion 104. In operation 822, a duration (e.g., five seconds, one secondas assigned in rules, etc.) of the another tactile force may bedetermined (e.g., using the determination module 316 of FIG. 3) at aparticular location of the touchscreen 108 to determine whether it maybe the unlocking gesture. In operation 824, a total time may bedetermined (e.g., using the determination module 316 of FIG. 3) tocreate the another tactile force and may be within a permitted amount oftime when determining whether it may be the unlocking gesture.

In operation 826, the mobile device 100 in the initial state may beoperated such that certain functions may be disabled in the initialstate to conserve battery consumption of the mobile device 100 (e.g.using the initial state module 310 of FIG. 3) through a power managementcircuitry of the mobile device 100. The memory may be a local memory ofthe mobile device 100 that may be internal to the mobile device 100. Inoperation 828, it may be determined (e.g., using the determinationmodule 316 of FIG. 3) that a next tactile force may be unrelated withthe unlocking gesture.

FIG. 8C is a continuation of process flow of FIG. 8B, illustratingadditional operations, according to one embodiment. In operation 830,the mobile device 100 may be transformed from the initial state to alocked state (e.g., using the transform module 308 of FIG. 3) based onthe determination that the next tactile force may be unrelated with theunlocking gesture. In operation 832, the mobile device 100 may bepermitted to communicate with an emergency service provider (e.g., usingthe permit module 318 of FIG. 3) even when in the locked state. Inoperation 834, it may be determined (e.g., using the determinationmodule 316 of FIG. 3) that the unlocking gesture may be similar to astored gesture beyond a tolerance value.

In operation 836, a different gesture may be requested to be stored(e.g., using the store module 306 of FIG. 3) when the determination maybe made that the unlocking gesture may be similar beyond the tolerancevalue. In operation 838, it may be determined (e.g., using thedetermination module 316 of FIG. 3) that the another tactile force maybe unique but within an acceptance range of associability with theunlocking gesture when associating the another tactile force with theunlocking gesture (e.g., using the unlock module 312 of FIG. 3).

FIG. 9 is a process flow of an opening a particular application of themobile device 100 when the association is made between the tactile force106 and the security gesture, according to one embodiment. In operation902, a tactile force (e.g., the tactile force 106 of FIG. 1) may bedetermined (e.g., using the determination module 316 of FIG. 3) on atouch screen (e.g., the touchscreen 108 of FIG. 1) without any visualaid on the touchscreen 108 and may be associated with a securitygesture. In operation 904, access may be permitted (e.g., using thepermit module 318 of FIG. 3) to a set of applications of the mobiledevice 100 when an association may be made between the tactile force 106and the security gesture. In operation 906, access may be denied (e.g.,using the deny module 314 of FIG. 3) to the set of applications of themobile device 100 when the association fails to be made between thetactile force 106 and the security gesture. In operation 908, aparticular application of the mobile device 100 may be directly openedwhen the association is made between the tactile force 106 and thesecurity gesture.

Although the present embodiments have been described with reference tospecific example embodiments, it will be evident that variousmodifications and changes may be made to these embodiments withoutdeparting from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments.For example, the various devices, modules, analyzers, generators, etc.described herein may be enabled and operated using hardware circuitry(e.g., CMOS based logic circuitry), firmware, software and/or anycombination of hardware, firmware, and/or software (e.g., embodied in amachine readable medium). For example, the various electrical structureand methods may be embodied using transistors, logic gates, andelectrical circuits (e.g., application specific integrated (ASIC)circuitry and/or in Digital Signal Processor (DSP) circuitry).

Particularly, the security module 110, the recognition module 300, thetactile force module 302, the association module 304, the store module306, the transform module 308, the initial state module 310, the unlockmodule 312, the deny module 314, the determination module 316, thepermit module 318, the user module 320, and the region module 322, andother modules of FIGS. 1-9 may be enabled using software and/or usingtransistors, logic gates, and electrical circuits (e.g., applicationspecific integrated ASIC circuitry) such as a security circuit, arecognition circuit, a tactile force circuit, an association circuit, astore circuit, a transform circuit, an initial state circuit, an unlockcircuit, a deny circuit, a determination circuit, a permit circuit, anuser circuit, a region circuit, and other circuits.

In addition, it will be appreciated that the various operations,processes, and methods disclosed herein may be embodied in amachine-readable medium and/or a machine accessible medium compatiblewith a data processing system (e.g., a computer system), and may beperformed in any order (e.g., including using means for achieving thevarious operations). Accordingly, the specification and drawings are tobe regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

1. A method of a mobile device comprising: recognizing a tactile forceon a touch screen without a visual aid as an unlocking gesture; storingthe unlocking gesture to a memory of the mobile device; associatinganother tactile force on the touch screen with the unlocking gesture;and transforming the mobile device from an initial state to an unlockedstate based on the association between the another tactile force and theunlocking gesture.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:transforming the mobile device to operate as a telephonic communicationdevice in the unlocked state.
 3. The method of claim 2 furthercomprising: accessing a contact list and a greeting message based on auser profile of the telephonic communication device associated with theunlocking gesture to transform the mobile device to operate as thetelephonic communication device.
 4. The method of claim 3 furthercomprising accessing a media playlist based on the user profile of thetelephonic communication device associated with the unlocking gesture totransform the mobile device to operate as a media player.
 5. The methodof claim 4 further comprising: associating a set of bookmarks based onthe user profile of the telephonic communication device associated withthe unlocking gesture to enable customized settings on a browserapplication of the mobile device.
 6. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising: determining that the tactile force is placed at multipledistinct locations on the touch screen while recognizing the tactileforce as the unlocking gesture, wherein the multiple distinct locationsare simultaneously and serially placed.
 7. The method of claim 6 furthercomprising: designating a region of the touch screen as available toreceive the another tactile force, such that the another tactile forceis algorithmically determinable to be the unlocking gesture whenrecognized in the designated region.
 8. The method of claim 7 furthercomprising: determining a duration of the another tactile force at aparticular location of the touch screen to determine whether it is theunlocking gesture.
 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:determining that a total time to create the another tactile force iswithin a permitted amount of time when determining whether it is theunlocking gesture.
 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:operating the mobile device in the initial state such that certainfunctions are disabled in the initial state to conserve batteryconsumption of the mobile device through a power management circuitry ofthe mobile device.
 11. The method claim 10 wherein the memory is a localmemory of the mobile device that is internal to the mobile device. 12.The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining that a nexttactile force is unrelated with the unlocking gesture; and transformingthe mobile device from the initial state to a locked state based on thedetermination that the next tactile force is unrelated with theunlocking gesture.
 13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:permitting the mobile device to communicate with an emergency serviceprovider even when in the locked state.
 14. The method of claim 1further comprising: determining that the unlocking gesture is similar toa stored gesture beyond a tolerance value; and requesting a differentgesture to be stored when the determination is made that the unlockinggesture is similar beyond the tolerance value.
 15. The method of claim 1further comprising: determining that the another tactile force is withinan acceptance range of associability with the unlocking gesture whenassociating the another tactile force with the unlocking gesture. 16.The method of claim 1 in a form of a machine-readable medium embodying aset of instructions that, when executed by a machine, causes the machineto perform the method of claim
 1. 17. A method of a mobile devicecomprising: determining whether a tactile force on a touch screenwithout any visual aid on the touch screen is associated with a securitygesture; permitting access to a set of applications of the mobile devicewhen an association is made between the tactile force and the securitygesture; and denying access to the set of applications of the mobiledevice when the association fails to be made between the tactile forceand the security gesture.
 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:directly opening a particular application of the mobile device when theassociation is made between the tactile force and the security gesture.19. The method of claim 17 wherein the security gesture is auser-generated gesture that is stored in a memory that is internal tothe mobile device.
 20. A mobile device, comprising: a touchscreen torecognize a tactile force using a processor of the mobile device; asecurity module interfaced with the processor to associate the tactileforce with a security gesture, and to determine access to a set offeatures on the mobile device based on the association; and a usermodule of the security module to create security gestures based on auser input.